Anime and Manga Reviews from the Land of the Rising Sun including Yuri, Yaoi, and Shonen-Ai; as well as related media from the likes of Korea and China.

Friday, 5 October 2012

Naruto Shippuden Box Set 7Released By: Manga Entertainment

Rating: 12

Running Time: 292 Mins

Audio:English and Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1

Release Date:Out Now

Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes

Shinobi have to protect the Hidden Leaf village from attack by shinobi who have been turned into zombies, they have to be eradicated, or the whole village will become like them. Asuma knows what Sora meant when he mentioned the king, and it doesn't help when it looks like they might lose their village to the enemies who want to seal their fate. Their enemies from the land of fire are using similar techniques that Orochimaru employed when he reanimated two of the Hokage's in a previous battle with the fourth. Just when everything looks like it is going to go the way the enemy wants it to, Naruto and Shikamaru have something to add to the battle that will make sure they don't lose in a fight.

Naruto has a harder fight though, he has to fight a friend who has become an enemy, Sora, and he's not just his enemy, but the leaf villages too. He already planned to kill the fifth Hokage, and wants to destroy the village, as his hatred of others and his anger grows with each passing moment.

Even though it isn't the first time the village has been in serious jeopardy, this series of episodes proves to be the most dramatic in terms of how serious the damage to the village. and the deaths of its people are in comparison with the previous seasons of Naruto. Good is pitted against what their opponents believe their cause to be righteous evil. They seek to obliterate the village and the reign of the Hokage, as they believe there can't be two rulers or kings.

Furido shows his maniacal side as the leader of the land of fire, and what kind of person he is to have wanted to make his cause grow stronger by using someone else as a scapegoat and his pawn, but for him, a mighty pawn can only come from one person, and the twist in this story is only made more cruel and shocking by its reveal later. Sora is used to such an extent that Naruto is forced to fight him, but try his best to hold back his nine-tails power.

Iruka sensei has his own series of problems to deal with, and a realization that comes to him about his relationship with his father, the fourth Hokage. He appreciates being a part of his life, and a member of the Sarutobi clan even though he was a difficult child who often wanted to be left alone in difficult times. This has a heartwarming effect that the viewers will enjoy as it's out of character for him. Also in this series, the Akatsuki arrive again, this time looking for the rest of the tailed beasts.

Bonus Material: Production art and Trailers of other anime series in the Manga Entertainment range.

Verdict: Naruto has got action, style and story in bucket loads - it deserves to be considered the best anime series of all time.

About Me

I'm Sandra Scholes and I write reviews and short stories under my own name or the pen name A J Damian. I have had various stories published on websites or in paperback anthologies. I started out as a review writer for several publishers, and wanted to do something part-time that ended up different to what I normally did, so I studied and got into writing stories.